At the moment the 58th Congress, 1st session ended at noon, December 7, 1903 and the 2nd session immediately began, President Theodore Roosevelt announced the recess appointment of over 160, mostly military, officers. Two of these appointees had previously held recess appointments and were controversial officeholders. Taking action in accordance with the aforementioned position of Attorney General Knox rejecting the validity of intrasession recess appointments, Roosevelt construed the period between these sessions as a constructive recess.